Ways to improve chances at optho residency?

[Merlin0082]

Hey everybody!

I have just begun my MS3 year, hoping to apply for optho.. I live in the Northeast, and am hoping to do my residency up here somewhere.. My step 1 score is 241, and I have no publications in optho.

I am planning to do electives in optho to get more experience/exposure.

I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on beefing up my application? Do you think a year of research to pump out some publications will be necessary? Do you think I can match without it if I get some good LOR/clinical grades? Any advice you guys can give me would be much appreciated--feeling kinda lost haha.

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TheLesPaul]

1) spell ophtho right...

 

[Tiburon]

Hey everybody!

I have just begun my MS3 year, hoping to apply for optho.. I live in the Northeast, and am hoping to do my residency up here somewhere.. My step 1 score is 241, and I have no publications in optho.

I am planning to do electives in optho to get more experience/exposure.

I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on beefing up my application? Do you think a year of research to pump out some publications will be necessary? Do you think I can match without it if I get some good LOR/clinical grades? Any advice you guys can give me would be much appreciated--feeling kinda lost haha.

Thanks.

If you have publications in other areas, I wouldn't sweat it too much. You'll match somewhere most likely, especially with great LOR and clinical grades. If you have no publications, that may be another issue. I know plenty of people that pumped out a publication or two during 3rd year, so all hope is not lost. Just find a good clinician that understands your schedule and will give you a project that allows some flexibility with time.

Now, if you are aiming at a top 10 program you may want to look at a year off. I wouldn't recommend it, though.

 

[Merlin0082]

If you have publications in other areas, I wouldn't sweat it too much. You'll match somewhere most likely, especially with great LOR and clinical grades. If you have no publications, that may be another issue. I know plenty of people that pumped out a publication or two during 3rd year, so all hope is not lost. Just find a good clinician that understands your schedule and will give you a project that allows some flexibility with time.

Now, if you are aiming at a top 10 program you may want to look at a year off. I wouldn't recommend it, though.

Thanks Tiburon! Do you think if I did take a year off and was able to pump out a year's worth of papers, I could shoot at a top program (ie- Cornell, NYU, etc)

Thanks for your help

 

[LightBox]

Thanks Tiburon! Do you think if I did take a year off and was able to pump out a year's worth of papers, I could shoot at a top program (ie- Cornell, NYU, etc)

Thanks for your help

Btw, though no disrepect to those institutions, those are not considered "top" Ophtho programs

 

[Tiburon]

Thanks Tiburon! Do you think if I did take a year off and was able to pump out a year's worth of papers, I could shoot at a top program (ie- Cornell, NYU, etc)

Thanks for your help

Tough to say without seeing your whole app. A 241 is a very good score, but honestly it's not outstanding so to get into a top 10 program you'll have to stand out somewhere else. For most people, research is a great way to set them apart. If you do end up taking a year off and get a some 1st author pubs and some glowing LOR (best from well-known faculty), and do well clinically, I think you'd have a shot at some of the top 10 programs. Like the other poster mentioned, Cornell and NYU aren't top 10 (very good, though), and you'd probably have a shot there without taking a year off.

You just have to figure out if it is worth it to take a year off. If I were you, I probably would not take a year off and would just accept the fact that I probably won't be going to a top 10 program like Wills. But, you'll have a shot at some awesome other schools. There are some fantastic programs that aren't top 10, just ask around. I interviewed at >10 schools, some top 10 and some not, and I was equally as impressed with some of the not top 10 schools as some of the top 10. If you don't end up matching, you'll be taking that same year off anyways to re-apply so you can do research then (I don't really know how programs view re-applicants, though).

In my opinion, it would be annoying to take a year off in hopes of going to a top 10 school, only to not match at one and end up at a school that you could have matched into without the year of research. On the other hand, if your main goal in life was to be the Chairman of an Ophtho department someday, then going to a top 10 may be worth your time.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Merlin0082]

Thanks a lot for all your input--was very helpful really.

Basically I just really want to try to match in NYC, for personal reasons. I'm willing to take a hit on the quality of the program if need be. Hope I can get it. Sorry but last question--do you think if I don't take a year off, but do some research during my M3 year, I have a shot at some NYC programs?

 

[RestoreSight]

Thanks a lot for all your input--was very helpful really.

Basically I just really want to try to match in NYC, for personal reasons. I'm willing to take a hit on the quality of the program if need be. Hope I can get it. Sorry but last question--do you think if I don't take a year off, but do some research during my M3 year, I have a shot at some NYC programs?

There's no magic trick to matching. You need to just do well. Solid apps show an interest in the field in addition to everything else that makes a solid app solid: good STEP 1 scores, research, volunteer work, hobbies etc. If you want to go to NY for residency rotate at their institutions and make it clear in your personal statement the reasons you want to go there. The benefits of taking a year off must be weighed against the risk of not accomplishing anything that brings you closer to your goal.